COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 1, 2010) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team is in the land of the pyramids and Sphinx this weekend, but sightseeing is not the reason for this trip to Cairo, Egypt.

The United States is hoping for two more notches in the win column when it plays Egypt in two FIVB World League matches on July 2-3 (10 a.m. PT both days) in Cairo.

After four weekends of World League Intercontinental Round pool play, the United States is in second place in Pool C with a 5-3 record. Egypt is in fourth place at 1-7. Russia leads the pool with a perfect 8-0 record and will play in Finland on July 2-3.

Team USA defeated Egypt twice when they place on June 18-19 in Concord, N.C. The United States won the first match, 3-1 (25-19, 25-15, 14-25, 25-21). It took the second match, 3-1 (25-20, 25-22, 11-25, 25-14).

The following weekend (June 25-26) it lost a match to Finland on Friday, 3-2 (25-22, 14-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-11) before defeating the Finns on Saturday, 3-1 (25-21, 18-25, 25-19, 25-23).

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) would like to see his team get away from the mental lapses that seem to crop up in each match.

“We need to play each point and each set with the same intensity,” Knipe said. “We need to do better with passing and serve receive.”

Team USA is still without setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania), who had been playing well before hurting his calf during the first match against Egypt in North Carolina. It will also be without middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) and outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) who are staying in the United States for personal reasons.

Middle blocker Andy Hein (Carol Stream, Ill.) will make his 2010 World League debut with the team in Egypt.

Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) leads the U.S. team in scoring with 83 points on 42 kills, 34 blocks and seven aces. Lee’s 34 blocks leads all World League players. His average is 1.03 per set.

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) is the second leading U.S. scorer with 77 points on 67 kills, for blocks and six aces.

Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) is fifth among all servers with an average of 0.31 per set. Stanley missed the first two weekends of World League while recovering from his winter spent with the Russian club team Zenit Kazan.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) is seventh among diggers with 61 for an average of 1.91 per set.

Egypt has been paced by Ahmed Abdelhay, who has 128 points on 110 kills, eight blocks and 10 aces. Abdel Latif Ahmed is its best blocker with an average of 0.69 per set. Abdalla Ahmed is its top server with 0.44 aces per set.

Team USA will play its final two World League pool play matches against Russia on July 9-10 in Wichita, Kan. (7 p.m. CT on Friday and 6 p.m. CT on Saturday). The U.S. Team is hoping that victories in these two matches can lead to a spot in the final round on July 21-25 in Argentina.

U.S. World League matches are being shown via tape delay on Comcast Sportsnet stations, with the final matches against Russia being shown on Versus. Click here for a schedule.

Note: Match won 3-0 or 3-1: 3 points for the winner, 0 point for the loserMatch won 3-2: 2 points for the winner, 1 point for the loserIn case of tie, the teams will be classified according to the following criteria: number of matches won, points ratio and sets ratio